WELSH HISTORY OF
‘OVER THE BRIDGE'

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GATHERING THE JEWELS

The website for Welsh Cultural History

http://www.gtj.org.uk/en/index

Gwynedd Archaeological Trust

Ymddiriedolaeth Archaeolegol Gwynedd

The Trust was formed in 1974 as an educational charity to inform the public on archaeological matters, to respond to increasing threats to the archaeology of the area, and to educate in the broadest sense. It now offers a wide range of archaeological services and has a depth of local knowledge about the archaeology and historic landscapes of north-west Wales. Click here for more info.

LITTLE WALES PLAQUE

Liverpool's Welsh community is planning to celebrate Capital of Culture with an ambitious year-long programme of events in 2008. The highlight of the year is a major concert at the Philharmonic Hall featuring the Welsh Choral Union and Aled Jones. The concert on St David's Day, March 1st will be just one of a series of festivities in 2008, which will also see members of the Welsh Patagonia community visiting the city. Readers of the Scottie Press will be aware that the paper has been promoting the Welsh history associated to the Vauxhall area of Liverpool. With thanks to Jimmy Thompson of Thompson's Office Furniture, 78 Pall Mall, Liverpool 3, a Plaque was sited on the Pall Mall premises (Tuesday 21st August 2007), which will recognise the Welsh History of this area of Liverpool. The plaque (see pictured) was designed by artist and sculptor Terry McGunigle. Jimmy and Terry are pictured (on 21st August) with Rev Dr D Ben Rees and Dewi Davies (Regional Director Tourism Partnership North Wales). Jimmy told the Scottie Press that since making contact with him about the Little Wales Plaque he has received a great deal of interest in and encouragement for the plaque from other businesses in the Pall Mall area. The Scottie Press is also booked to speak about recognising the Welsh History of the Vauxhall area at a Liverpool Rotary Club meeting in January 2008.

WELSH HISTORY OF WALTON

It is clear that the efforts to recognise the Welsh History of the Vauxhall area of Liverpool must take into account the Welsh History of the Walton area. By doing so a better picture can be formed of the Welsh influence on the development of the housing and religion in Vauxhall and Walton districts of Liverpool. We feature above a selection of photographs (taken in the Country Road area of Walton) and welcome hearing from current and former residents of Walton who may wish to advise the Scottie Press of their Welsh ancestry. Readers may also like to visit www.whatwasinwalton.com

PENRHYN STREET LIVERPOOL 5

The Scottie Press is making efforts to find out the origins of Penrhyn Street (Liverpool 5) - which is located off Scotland Road. We wish to find out if the history of this street is associated with former employees of the Penrhyn Slate Quarry (North Wales). We picture alongside the current street sign a photo taken in 1922 of Number 3 Court Penrhyn Street.

PENRHYN SLATE QUARRY

LLECHWEDD SLATE CAVERNS

BETHESDA

We are very grateful to Riverside Housing who have offered their support and help with plans recognise the Welsh History of the Vauxhall area of Liverpool, known world wide as 'Over The Bridge'. We also wish to express sincere thanks to Operation Eden who have also offered their help with the planting of daffodils (in autumn 2007) on the railed landscaped area of land at the junction of Barmouth Way and Snowdon Lane. These daffodils should be in flower for the unveiling of a Plaque recognising the Welsh History of Over The Bridge on St David's Day - 1st March 2008. Operation EDEN is a community-based environmental programme that works to improve local neighbourhoods by bringing together people who care about the social, economic, environmental and spiritual welfare of our planet. It aims to demonstrate the work of faith communities as significant partners towards the development of sustainable environments to create areas where there is greater understanding and tolerance of diversity. Operation Eden can be found at - www.operation-eden.org.uk

VAUXHALL GROUP TO HELP RECOGNISE HISTORIC LINKS WITH NORTH WALES

The Vauxhall History & Heritage Group (VH&HG) is offering its help to recognise the Welsh History of the 'Over The Bridge' area of Vauxhall, Liverpool 5. By having the involvement and support of the VH&HG it offers up opportunities for a much bigger event. The unveiling of the Plaque to recognise the Welsh History of Over The Bridge has been scheduled to take place on St David's Day (Sat 1st March) 2008. Invited to this unveiling would be people from Wales such as Dewi Davies (Regional Director Tourism Partnership North Wales) and Andrew Roberts (Director of LLechwedd Slate Caverns in Blaenau Ffestiniog) who have been very supportive of the project.

The Plaque (made from Welsh Slate) would be unveiled by Louise Ellman MP. Daffodils would be planted in the autumn of 2007 on the railed landscaped land at the junction of Barmouth Way and Snowdon Lane in Athol Village. This would enhance the location of the Plaque as it is universally recognised that the Daffodil is the flower of Wales. We picture (above) the corner of Boundary Street and Vauxhall Road, Liverpool 5 (photographed Sunday 12th Feb 2007) whereon planted daffodils flower every spring. If the daffodil planting at the junction of Barmouth Way and Snowdon Lane can be achieved in 2007 it will be in keeping with community efforts to celebrate the (800th birthday of city of Liverpool - 1207-2007).

A Community Social Event could be staged following the unveiling to feature the Music of North Wales with an invitation for a Welsh Male Voice Choir. This event would recognise the historic links between North Wales and Liverpool and fulfil aims of Liverpool City Council for community participation in Capital of Culture year 2008. We picture (above) photographs of Barmouth and Snowdon (North Wales). Added to these pictures is photograph of the former Rhosydd Slate Mine (closed 1930), which is located one mile south of Blaenau Ffestiniog.

If you would like to help the Vauxhall History & Heritage Group and others involved with this project, or if you have any information or photographs that you feel can assist please email ronformby@scottiepress.org

It would be of great help if descendants of former Welsh residents of the Over The Bridge area of Vauxhall, Liverpool 5 could contact the project, which also aims to help people (world wide) with their Welsh Family History Research.

FAMILY HOLIDAY HELP FOR SCOTTIE PRESS WELSH HISTORY OF OTB PROJECT

My family originally lived in Padget Street in what local people call the Over The Bridge area of Vauxhall. I am keen to find out more about my family tree with the names of Cain and Ashworth most prominent. I am equally keen to support efforts of the Scottie Press to research and recognise the Welsh History of this area. I have been going to North Wales on holiday since 1966. First taken as a 4 year old by my mum and dad. The photo of me on the railway station platform in LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYRNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH was taken last year (2006) My wife (whose maiden name is Owen) and my three children and of course myself, now travel to North Wales every summer and stay in a Farm House in Llanrwst for a week. This year we are taking two weeks holiday in North Wales the first week in Llanrwst and the second week we are staying in a 16th Century Farmhouse in the St Asaph area. This super 16th Century Grade II Listed Farmhouse is situated on a working family farm. It is steeped in history, once visited by Samuel Johnson, built by Sir Richard Clough - second husband to Catherine of Berain, Mother of Wales, second cousin to Queen Elizabeth I. The property is recorded as the first brick building in Wales, with a date stone of 1567.(see photo below)

It is my intention this year to find out what I can about any Welsh connections with my family tree and that of my wife. I will also try to help the Scottie Press find out more of why the Over The Bridge area in Vauxhall, Liverpool 5, had a big Welsh occupation in the mid-late 19th Century and why they left their existence in the area with the street names. I have read that there are hopes to have a plaque made from Welsh Slate sited and unveiled in the landscaped area at the junction of Barmoth Way and Snowdon Lane in what is now known as Athol Village. I have taken some photos of this Athol Village area for this article.

I intend to visit the Llechwedd Slate Caverns in Blaenau Ffestiniog as both my sons (aged 14 and 17) will I know be very interested in seeing how men dug out the slate that was made into the slate tiles for the roofs of houses in Liverpool.If any website readers might be interested in helping me with my quest, I can be contacted on niacy@yahoo.com or kevo180@msn.com. Kevin Cain

NORTH WALES RESORT TO BENEFIT FROM LIVERPOOL'S CAPITAL OF CULTURE YEAR

The North Wales coastal town of Llandudno is hoping that it can reap the benefits of thousands of tourists flooding into Merseyside for Capital of Culture 2008. Officials in the seaside resort hope to link some of their cultural events with those planned for Liverpool in 2008 able to show tourists to Liverpool what Llandudno can offer.

Liverpool was once referred to as the capital of North Wales and still has a small Welsh population. The Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Alan Dean has said that Liverpool will work in any ways the city can (including tourist package deals) to help North Wales benefit from 2008. The Lord Mayor also said that he appreciated that people who come to Liverpool in 2008 will have intentions of visiting places outside the city. Llandudno was designed by Liverpool architect Owen Williams as a seaside resort in the 1800s.

WELSH CHAPELS IN
GREAT CROSSHALL STREET

Great Crosshall Street, Liverpool 3, was laid out from 1800 and soon two Welsh chapels appeared which would make one assume that the Welsh population was spreading from their established area and stronghold of St. Paul's square in the Pall Mall area of Liverpool 3.

One chapel was at the junction of Marybone and Great Crosshall Street. This building became in later years the office of Brian Green Typewriters. The building and is pictured just further down Great Crosshall Street from Prout's Garage. It was subsequently demolished to make way for student block accommodation. The other Welsh chapel building had long since gone.

LIVERPOOL'S LITTLE WALES

Irish and Scottish links with the city of Liverpool are well documented, but the story of the Welsh in Liverpool is often over looked. Indeed its very name is thought to have come from 'Lle'r pwll' - that is 'the place of the pool'.

Liverpool is a Maritime City, and it began this tradition transporting Welsh Slate from Conway. As the port grew it attracted many peoples from the surrounding area in search of work. This is illustrated by the large number of both Lancastrian and Welsh surnames still evident in the city. Indeed there are probably more Hughes, Williams and Owens than in Cardiff.

In the 19th Century, the city-centre's Pall Mall was known as 'Little Wales' and it was the site of the first Welsh Chapel in Liverpool, built in 1787. A later one built in Toxteth was for a long time the largest Welsh Chapel in the world. In 1813, one in every ten people in Liverpool were Welsh and a high percentage could only speak their native tongue. In the 1870s a further 50,000 Welsh people moved to the city, making it the unofficial 'Capital of North Wales'. The National Eisteddfod has been held in Liverpool - 1840 - 1854 - 1884 - 1900 and 1929. The Eisteddfod has been invited to return to Liverpool in 2007 in the run-up to the city's Capital of Culture celebrations in 2008.

Pall Mall circa 1960's

We picture below a selection of photographs taken in Pall Mall (2006) and would hope that if the Eisteddfod is held in Liverpool in 2007 there will be efforts made to acknowledge this area as being at one time 'Liverpool's 'Little Wales'.

WELSH RECORDED IN 1861 LIVERPOOL CENSUS

We thank Josie McCann (Secretary, Liverpool History Society) for providing some information about Welsh residents of the Over The Bridge area as recorded in the 1861 Liverpool Census. Josie feels that at this time there may well have been over 200 Welsh born people living in these streets.

Living at number 36 Denbigh Street was a John Williams who was born in Denbighshire and who was employed in 1861 as a Foundry Yard Keeper. He was married to a Jane Williams who was born in Carnarvonshire.

Living at number 3 Idris Street was a Sarah Asbury who was originally born in Harden/Flint and is registered on the census as a seaman's wife. Living at number 14 is a John Williams, born in Anglesea and employed as Engineer/Driver Steamboat.

At number 26 lived Hugh Hughes from Beaumaris who was a dock labourer. At number 32 lived David Griffiths from Conway who was a stoker for a steam vessel.

Living at number 17 Camaes Street was a James Jones from Flint who was a dock labourer.

At number 22 lived an Ann Nutt from Wales who was a widow.

Living at number 2 Snowdon Street was a Robert Hughes from Holyhead who was a dock gateman. Also registered at number 2 is John Owens also from Holyhead who was a merchant seaman.

At number 4 lived Hugh Evans from North Wales employed as a dock gateman. At number 6 was a Hugh Hughes also from Carnarvon and also a dock gateman.

At number 7 was a Robert Griffiths from Carnarvon and also a dock gateman. At number 8 was a William Phillips from Carnarvon and employed as a dock gateman.

At number 9 was John Jones from Holyhead who was a merchant seaman. At number 12 was Hugh Owen from Holyhead who was a dock labourer. Also registered at number 12 was Robert Jones from Llangollen who was a dock labourer.

At 16 lived Ann Williams from Anglesea who was a seaman's wife. At number 17 was a David Davies from Denbigh who was a merchant seaman. At number 18 was a William Jones from Holyhead who was a merchant seaman. At number 19 was a Ellen Williams from Llandudno who was a seaman's wife. At number 25 lived Charles Davies from Denbigh who was stoker for a steam vessel. Also at 25 was William Williams from Holyhead who was a seaman.

Living at 38 Barmouth Street was a Thomas Llewellyn from Pembroke who was a Mariner. Also registered at number 38 was a John Jones who was from Wales and who was a shoemaker. At number 19 was a Mary Williams from Anglesea who was a housekeeper. At number 31 lived a John Thomas from Milford who was a ships carpenter. At number 37 lived a Owen Williams from Wales who was a Mariner. Living at number 18 Menai Street was a Henry Rimmer from Wales who was employed as a dock porter.

At 36 lived a Edward Evans from Ruthin who was a labourer. At 42 lived a Jacob Platt from Denbigh who was a grocer. Also at 42 was a William Platt from Llandafan Cardigan who was a grocer's assistant. At 25 lived a John Jones from Aberystmouth who was a ships rigger. We also that Josie McCann for providing this webpoge with an 1847 Map of Liverpool off which we have taken the insert featured below which shows the 'Over The Bridge ' area. Highlighted is Athol Street.

WELSH HISTORY OF ‘OVER THE BRIDGE’

Our thanks go to Kevin Cain who with his wife and 3 children recently spent a week’s holiday in the Snowdonia National Park, North Wales (see photo above). Whilst there he picked up a number of leaflets to help with the Scottie Press Welsh History of ‘Over The Bridge’ Project.

This project will hopefully be able to shed-more-light on the occupation of this famous area of Vauxhall from 1830 – 1870 and onwards by former Welsh Slate Quarry workers many of who went on to become Liverpool House Builders.

It is an acknowledged fact that they were responsible for building many of the terraced streets in the Kirkdale, Walton, Anfield, Dingle and Toxteth areas of Liverpool. It is an aim of this project to record as accurately and as comprehensively as possible the history of these welsh people and to trace their roots back to Wales and forward to where their descendants might now live etc.

Amongst the places that Kevin and his family visited on holiday were perhaps the places where the former Welsh residents of the ‘Over The Bridge’ area of Liverpool came from, including; Conwy, Llandudno, Bangor, Llanfairfechan, Caernarfon, Llanrwst, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Llanberis and Denbigh. Kevin and family were able to view examples of the type of houses these quarry-workers lived in when living in Wales (see photo below).

The ‘Over The Bridge’ area of Liverpool 5 had identifying streets named Snowdon, Barmouth, Menai, Newport, Cemeas and Denbigh.

The photo above was taken at junction of Denbigh St with Great Howard Street and shows the Tobacco Warehouse in the background.

Some holiday snaps taken by Kevin show the Italian Village at Portmeirion near Portmadog and the Swallow Falls at Betws y Coed.

We welcome hearing from readers who might like to help with this project. Please email ronformby@scottiepress.org